A word of caution, though. Last offseason, Josh Hamilton and B.J. Upton signed the two largest contracts for free-agent outfielders—for a total of $200.25 million—and they both suffered through disastrous years.

The Skinny: Simply, Choo gets on base better than any other top-of-the-order guy in baseball. Over the past five seasons, among players with at least 2,500 plate appearances, only Joey Votto, Miguel Cabrera, Joe Mauer and Prince Fielder have better on-base percentages than Choo’s .392. When you factor in the pop (five seasons with at least 14 homers) and speed (four years with at least 20 stolen bases) and solid outfield defense (he’s best in right, but can play a passable center field), Choo tops the Sporting News list.

Best fit: Rangers. The Texas offense struggled, relatively speaking, this season. Texas leadoff hitters had a .336 on-base percentage this season. Those two things are related, and placing Choo at the top of the lineup would go a long way to solving those issues, if the Rangers decide to spend the money it’ll take to land Choo.

The Skinny: When healthy, Ellsbury is a legitimate MVP candidate—he was second in 2011 and will likely finish top 10 again this year—but he only played a total of 92 games in 2010 and 2012. He’s led the AL in stolen bases three times (including 2013), and still has an extra-base bat even though his 32-homer season in 2011 seems like a complete aberration. He’ll probably get a larger contract than Choo, even though it figures that his best skill (speed) could deteriorate sooner than Choo’s best skill (getting on base).

Best fit: Mariners. Seattle needs a center fielder and a leadoff hitter.

The Skinny: Other players we’ll talk about later will play more years than Beltran, but he’s the best hitter on this list. And, the risk isn’t great, considering he won’t be looking for anything more than a two or three-year contract, at the very most. There’s value in avoiding a potentially damaging long-term contract. An American League club makes the most sense because of his balky knees, but he was decent enough in right field for the Cardinals the past two years that NL teams should at least consider him as an option. He will almost certainly get more than the two-year, $26 million deal he signed in 2011, and if he stays healthy, he’ll be worth every penny.

Best fit: Yankees. The Yankees would love to add the veteran on a two-year deal, but the question’s worth asking: Would Beltran want to sign with New York? His desire to win a World Series is palpable, and the Yankees need a lot of things to go right to contend in the AL East over the next few years.

The Skinny: It will be interesting to see how the Yankees’ qualifying offer—the draft-pick compensation tied to another team signing him—impacts Granderson’s ability to draw significant free-agent offers. On one hand, in his previous two healthy seasons (2011-12), he blasted 84 homers and stole 35 bases, a combination that’s rare on the free-agent market. On the other hand, though, his strikeout totals have gone through the roof, his on-base percentage has taken a precipitous drop and he’s hit just .231 in his previous 221 games. Committing a hefty contract to Granderson would be risky enough without the draft-pick factor in the equation. His injury issues in 2013 were more of the fluke variety and won’t likely have much of an impact.

Best fit: Mets. Few teams need outfield as much as the Mets, and they’d be willing to spend the money to get Granderson. The Cubs and White Sox would be interested (he’s a Chicago guy) and the Giants could use a left-handed slugger, too. Don’t rule out a one-year return to the Yankees, either.

The Skinny: Cruz was extended a qualifying offer, proof that the Rangers are open to the idea of him returning despite the 50-game Biogenesis suspension he served this season and the lingering bad feelings around the way that was handled. In a market that’s not flush with power hitters, Cruz is in a decent position despite the Biogenesis stuff and the draft-pick compensation. The Rangers, though, need that power to stay in Texas.

Best fit: Rangers. He probably won’t accept the one-year qualifying offer, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see him return to Texas on a two- or three-year deal.

The Skinny: In 2013, Byrd produced like a player worthy of earning a three-year deal on the market, but at 36 years old with a hit-and-miss history, it’s unlikely he’ll land anything more than two years with a team option for the third. He certainly didn’t hurt his bargaining position after his trade from the Mets to the Pirates, though; Byrd hit .318 with 17 RBI and a solid .843 OPS in his 30 games after joining Pittsburgh. And then, he hit .346 in the Pirates’ six postseason games, including a home run in the wild-card contest against Cincinnati.

Best fit: Pirates, if the price is right. Pittsburgh won’t overpay. If Byrd chases every dollar, maybe he winds up with the Giants or Phillies or Royals or another team in need of outfield offense.

The Skinny: You’ll be hard-pressed to find a position player who struggled through a worse walk season than Murphy. His power remained steady, but his other numbers dipped across the board; his batting average the previous five seasons (.283) was higher than his 2013 on-base percentage. The down year probably crushes his chances of landing a multiyear deal, but he could turn into a big bargain for the team that lands him on a one-year deal.

The Skinny: At this point on the list, we’re past full-time starters. With his speed, Davis offers an extreme skill set that’s lacking on the market; he’s stolen at least 34 bases in each of the past five seasons, despite having more than 447 at-bats just once. He’s played more than 100 career games at each outfield position, and he has enough pop in his bat that he shouldn’t be considered a speed-only guy.

Best fit: Braves. His versatility and speed would give the Braves a safety net if B.J. Upton is awful again in 2014.

The Skinny: McLouth revived his floundering career the past two seasons in Baltimore, posting his best numbers since 2009 this summer. Still, it might not be easy for him to find a guaranteed starting spot this offseason. He slumped after the All-Star break, with just six stolen bases, a .233 average and a .304 on-base percentage. He is just 32—it only feels like he’s been around forever—and can hit right-handed pitching well enough. He could be a great fourth outfielder on a quality team.

The Skinny: Johnson offers versatility—he started games at left field, second base, third base and first base for the Rays last year—and has solid left-handed power (he’s averaged 20 homers the past five years) and he won’t cost much. He’ll provide good value on a short deal.

Best fit: Royals. They would probably look at him first as a second baseman, but if Emilio Bonifacio has a good spring and earns the second-base job, Johnson could provide excellent all-around depth.